Dolphin Tale opens up with two cousins Kyle Connellan (Austin Stowell) and Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) at a swim meet. They observe Donovan Peck (Michael Roark) a competitive swimmer qualify his time and is about to break Kyle's record time, and in typical jock fashion, Donovan boasts as to how he will shatter Kyle's records as well as foreshadow that Kyle will be forgotten in their small town, since Kyle will be lost in battle after joining the military. Kyle announces to Coach Vansky (Rus Blackwell) that he will be leaving in the morning, and Sawyer becomes distraught after discovering the news. During the farewell party, Sawyer being reclusive, locks himself in the garage where he attends to his broken remote controlled scale model helicopter. Kyle walks into the garage and explains to him the value of joining the military, how after his service, he will be able to go to school because the military will pay for his education and how he will be able to train for the Olympics. Kyle also makes a promise, a promise where he states that he will not abandon him like Sawyer's father has abandoned his family. He just needs to fulfill his contracted service term and everything will revert to how it all used to be. The only thing is that he will be serving his term during the wartime effort. Do you smell irony?
A level of sadness grips Sawyer because of his cousin Kyle's departure. When at school Sawyer becomes bullied and he seems to have one friend, and due to his failing grades he must make up his classes in summer school. Sawyer does not like school nor does he like his teacher. Riding his bike to to school, he hears an elderly man crying for help after noticing a beached dolphin on the shore. The dolphin (Winter) seems to be tied up with a thick yellow rope that is attached to a cage designed for crustacean fishing. Sawyer calls 911 and the elderly man takes the cell phone while Sawyer attends to the wounded dolphin. Sawyer uses his Swiss army knife given to him by Kyle before he left, to free the dolphin from its life-threatening entanglement while an animal rescue team arrives at the scene and take the dolphin's vitals and weight while using wet towels to maintain a level of moisture to the dolphin's flesh. Sawyer meets Hazel Haskett (Cozi Zuehlsdorff)who is part of the rescue team and notice that he cut the tangled lines. The dolphin is transported top a marine institute where they name the dolphin Winter, and care for her. Sawyer follows the ambulance to the marine institute while ditching school. Sawyer goes through the back and walks in where Hazel is startled and drops an ice chest full of fish. Hazel introduces Sawyer to her father Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.) as well as her grandfather Reed Haskett (Kris Kristofferson).
Sawyer's relationship with Winter creates a bond with Dr. Clay to where he trusts him to stay with Winter and allows him access to the marine institute. Sawyer's mother Lorraine Nelson (Ashley Judd) discovers that Sawyer has been missing school for weeks because he has been volunteering his time in the marine institute. Lorraine pleads to the teacher for an out of class research assignment to make up his grades. While working in at the marine institute Sawyer is told the news about an accident occurred to his cousin Kyle. Kyle will not be able to swim competitively again. 
During a visit to the V. A. Hospital where Kyle is a patient, Sawyer meets Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman) and asks him to design a prosthetic for a dolphin. Dr. McCarthy is intrigued by the request and accepts the challenge meanwhile the marine institute is looking for ways to fund the marine hospital and aquarium. Hazel and Sawyer create a fundraising event after meeting a little girl in a wheelchair that was driven for several hours, so that she could see the awe inspiring dolphin with a missing tale. The little girl inspired hope and help spawn their vision to save the marine institute from being sold to Phillip J. Hordern the real estate business tycoon (Tom Nowicki). Kyle, who was broken after the accident, felt that he was going to help Winter and his cousin Sawyer by getting the media involved to advertise the event as well as involve himself in the spectacle by announcing his return to competitive swimming as he challenged his friendly rival Donovan Peck. The community gets involved as everyone one has been touched by Winter's story and struggle to survive. Dr. McCarthy successfully creates a prosthetic after several failed prototypes.
Dolphin Tale directed by Charles Martin Smith, is a narrative about second chances, a heart warming story about mending a broken spirit, and a visual spectacle based on true events. Dolphin Tale is written by Karen Janszen and Noam Dromi, I give them kudos for writing a such an inspiring and bold tale. Morgan Freeman's performance is dead on with his witty exchanges and his freshness. Harry Connick Jr. delivers a cool father figure performance as his tenacious character thrives to make sure that he saves the lives of the marine life that is in his care.
I give this film a B+ grading because the exposition dragged a bit, but by giving the film a chance the story engrossed my family and I as we cheered on the main protagonists and were emotionally invested in Winter's story. If you have not seen it, please do so because of its feel good nature. This is definitely a movie that will move the whole family, and if you can't see it in the theaters, you can definitely catch it On Demand. Please let me know what you think of this flick? Am I wrong in my assessment, please elaborate?
